Red Oak

[cousin jack]

I am just starting thinning a block of Red Oak, I am told by the old woodsman on the estate, they are classed as a softwood, is this correct? It seems pretty dense to me!

[tommer9]

I always understood that softwoods were evergreens/ coniferous etc and hardwoods were deciduos/ broadleafed. It has nothing to do with the properties of the timber. Balsa is a hardwood, but the wood is VERY soft, yew is a softwood, but the wood is VERY dense/ hard.

Hope that helps.

[Mr Ed]

Red oak is nice timber. Never heard of it being called a softwood before.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Softwood and hardwoods are defined by wether the seed is encased or not isn't it

[David oakman]

Dean i bet you have a pink shirt and a pink bracelet haha

[cousin jack]

To be perfectly honest, I would'nt have thought twice about it, untill he came out with it. He is a marvellous old man who has spent all his life in the woods and is normally spot on with his information, but I think he's got this wrong, but I won't have the heart to tell him.

[nepia]

science.howstuffworks.com/genetic-science/question598.htm

[cousin jack]

science.howstuffworks.com/genetic-science/question598.htm

 

Explains it very well, thanks

[tommer9]

To be perfectly honest, I would'nt have thought twice about it, untill he came out with it. He is a marvellous old man who has spent all his life in the woods and is normally spot on with his information, but I think he's got this wrong, but I won't have the heart to tell him.

 

I have met plenty of old grunts who have formulated some bizarre ideas of things like that through having a lifetime on their own and drawing their own 'factual' ideas. No doubt we can all learn loads from guys like that, but at the same time they do come out with some great stuff. Dont disillusion the guy or try to correct him, he has a lifetime behind him and it wouldn;t be at all productive.

[cousin jack]

I have met plenty of old grunts who have formulated some bizarre ideas of things like that through having a lifetime on their own and drawing their own 'factual' ideas. No doubt we can all learn loads from guys like that, but at the same time they do come out with some great stuff. Dont disillusion the guy or try to correct him, he has a lifetime behind him and it wouldn;t be at all productive.

 

No, I would'nt do that, anyway he put's a razor edge on my billhook when it needs it, and he's also a very good welder and is always repairing or making something for me, so I won't be putting him right.